Against All Odds
by Chellybean17
Summary: Loki. Her love, her husband, and apparently a traitorous murderer. But Sigyn knows better. Along with some Avengers and a few of Loki's children (and Loki and Thor, of course), she is determined to find Thanos and bring him to justice for his crimes. But how much of the attack on Midgard was the Mad Titan, and how much of it was Loki? More importantly- how much can she forgive?
1. Tell Me

"You look like a fish."

The prince rose from the small bed, looking out of his cell with a bland expression. Sigyn didn't buy it, though; after centuries spent with this one man, a blank face couldn't hide what was going on inside. There was more than a little anger dancing in his eyes, but despair, hope, and even a bit of love joined it. "I have been languishing in here for weeks without you so much as stopping by, and the first thing you say to me is that I look like a fish?"

"Glass box, aquarium, it makes sense from the outside. And you'll never guess where I have been all this time, dear husband." By the Norns, she missed him. Though her voice was nonchalant and her words almost flippant, her eyes couldn't stop roving that gorgeous body of his, her ears still drinking in the sound of his rich voice- and she knew it was the same for him. If that thin plane of magic had not been there to separate them, they would be in each other's arms already.

"Negotiating the terms of my release?"

"If only. Not a day after the minimal mourning period ended, my father insisted that I return home to Vanaheim, where he promptly began negotiating the terms of my remarriage."

"Remarriage?" The look on his face was quite enjoyable, almost teasing a smile out of her lips. He was at once shocked, indignant, and, adorably, worried. "You called me husband; you did not…did you?"

"Your faith in me is astounding," she drawled, the smile coming out. "Of course not. Remember our vows? Bound together always, even as we walk through the realm of the dead; you just made it there before me. At least, I thought you did."

"You really thought that I was gone?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as his dark brows drew closer together.

Sigyn swallowed. "Everyone did." Those were difficult memories to think about. She wouldn't go as far as to say that she was lost without him, but they had been partners. Losing him was like losing an arm; she could still go on, but everything was harder. "We all mourned, Loki. All of us." She let the unspoken implications dangle there, that perhaps his adopted family cared more for him than he believed.

Once more he tried to mask the emotions that flitted across his face, and once more he failed. "But I was alive," he said slowly, the weight of each word hitting the floor like a brick. "And you did not come for me."

"I did not know," she murmured, biting her lip. "No one thought to tell me until I returned to Asgard and heard you were alive, but imprisoned for the rest of your life for crimes of treason, murder, attempted genocide…Loki, why?"

Raising his chin in the air, he clasped his hands behind his back and turned away from her. "You know why." His words were as cold and unfeeling as the cell that surrounded him, but something…something told her that they were not true.

"No, I do not," she sighed, ghosting her fingers down the smooth surface between them. "You need to tell me. And you need to stop trying to hide; you forget that I know you better than anyone."

"I will not tell you this."

"I am your wife," she retorted, though pain lingered in her voice. "You _must_ tell me this."

"I cannot!" His face was filled with desperation as he spun around, his voice raw. "I cannot," he repeated, more softly. "I cannot put you in this danger, my love."

"When you told me you were a Jotun, I listened and loved you still. And you forget, love, that I am more than capable of protecting myself. With the two of us together, what danger could hope to overcome our might?"

"I cannot take that risk," Loki said firmly. "What he did to me…I would sooner see you loathe me for an eternity than to have even a fraction of that happen to you."

A spark lit in her eyes. "So someone made you do it." The thought of her love being tortured was chilling, but at the same time, it meant that he wasn't entirely to blame for what happened on Midgard. She'd wanted to get his side of the story before passing judgment, but maybe this meant that she didn't have to pass judgment at all. "Give me a name. I will find him and bring him to justice so you can leave here a free man."

"I told you no."

"And I told you that I would help you!" A ringing noise echoed around them as her fist met the magic field serving as a wall. She glared at him, the full weight of her fury in her gaze. He'd seen her angry before, but this rage was different. This rage would not be stopped until it got exactly what it wanted. "They do not call me the goddess of fidelity without reason, you beautiful fool; give me a name."

Loki maintained his steadfast exterior, though hints of admiration and adoration seeped through; he did always love it when she took control. "I cannot let you do this on your own."

He was weakening. Good. No matter how strong his resolve, she could nearly always sway him. "I will not be on my own; I swear it by Yggdrasil herself. Now tell me: who made you do this."

He exhaled, closing the emerald eyes she loved so much. "Sigyn, my love…if you find him, if he finds you, he will rip you apart body and mind to punish me."

"Name. Now."

"Thanos."

Her eyes widened and she felt her mouth fall open. "The Mad Titan? I heard that he was obsessed with Hel, though, why would he…you are her father."

"He worships the part of her that is Death. His only wish is to kill and destroy because he thinks that will _please_ her. He thought putting me on a throne would please her as well, and if he had the Tesseract, he could destroy _every_thing for her." Every word was thick with disgust. "I told you, love, you cannot stop him."

It pained her to admit it, but from logic's perspective he was right. Tales of the Mad Titan, the Eternal who murdered throughout the Nine Realms, blew up his own planet, and was infatuated with the Queen of Niflheim herself, had often reached her ears- and if she was smart, she would listen to those who said to stay out of his way. She was a smart woman, yes, but she was also in love. Love beat logic no matter what the cost. "Perhaps I cannot stop him on my own, but with help…Loki, I will not let you rot in here for misinterpreted crimes." She bit her lip to stop the smile that threatened to spill over as her eyes flickered down to her belly. "Besides, I will not let our son grow up without his father."

"Our son?" The look of wonder on his face made her heart swell. "We have a son?"

"Well, perhaps a daughter, but it feels like a son." The energy within her womb was wild and unformed, but it felt distinctly masculine; a mother could always tell. She sighed as she looked at him, longing to hold his slender body in her arms and press her lips against his. They were breaths away from one another, but they might as well have been on opposite realms.

"My love, that is the most wondrous news I have heard since entering this foul place." But then his face darkened. "No. Sigyn, you cannot go after Thanos now; you, and our child, could get hurt."

"You can be concerned, Loki, but you need not be," she said gently. "There is no creature so dangerous as a mother; Thanos will not stand a chance."

"Lady Sigyn?"

She turned as she heard a guard approach. "Yes?"

"The Royal Family formally requests your attendance at a banquet in honor of your return to Asgard."

_The Lady Sigyn formally requests that you all wander into a herd of bilgesnipes in honor of you treatment of my husband._ "I would be happy to accept," Sigyn smiled. Happy was a stretch; this was sure to be an entirely awkward situation. Despite her sour thought, she didn't necessarily loathe Loki's family- she actually admired Frigga and was friends with Thor. But she didn't want to be paraded around while her husband sat in prison and she had the power to free him, nor did she want to field the inevitable questions about Loki, her opinions on what he'd done, and, of course, if she planned on annulling their marriage. Aesir were just as bad as Vanir when it came to shoving their children on eligible royals. "And when will this banquet take place?"

"In three hours."

_Shit_. She'd hoped to talk more with Loki, but with time constraints like that, it wasn't an option. "I am afraid I must leave, my love," she sighed. "You know how hard it is to get my hair into those ringlets your people love so much."

"Your hair is far more beautiful the way it is now," he said, reaching out with his hand as if to touch her thick, deep red waves. "The court will never know what they are missing out on with all of their traditions."

"And you know how I hate those traditions, love, but for now I do not want to risk their anger. Not until I have justice. Then, well, then we shall see." Once she was sure of Loki's safety she would be far less afraid to flout the customs that dictated her royal appearance.

"Take care, darling, alright? Promise me you will not let some dashing young lord sweep you off your feet," he pled.

"I do not know if I can," she laughed, her smile flashing bright in the dark hall. "I am just so easily charmed. But you can come to the wedding; will that do?"

"I suppose," he sighed heavily, looking distraught. "Fare thee well, fair Princess Sigyn."

"And you as well, noble Prince Loki." She kissed her fingers and placed them on the wall, her lipstain leaving behind a red impression. "Love you now."

"Love you tomorrow."

"Love you forever," they said, their voices in unison.

"I will be back," Sigyn whispered, her smile small as she blinked back tears. She hated to turn, walk away, and simply leave her husband alone in a prison cell, but it had to be done, no matter much her heart protested. Just one night of socializing, then she could start her search for Thanos.


	2. On Fire

**Thanks for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites! I love any and all feedback, regardless of whether you love or hate the story, and will respond to all reviews that I receive. **

**Stiles Lokison- I'm afraid I can't answer that...you'll have to find out about the baby when Sigyn and Loki do ;)**

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"Are you sure I cannot use magic? Just this once?" It was nearly time for the banquet to begin, and while Sigyn was ready in every other respect, her hair still needed work.

"It is not proper, my lady." murmured Lofn as she continued to arrange the rich red curls. She, along with two other girls, had been sent by Queen Frigga herself to assist in Sigyn's preparation; her Vanir handmaidens were adept at the elaborate Aesir styles after so many years, but they were still nowhere near as swift or precise as the Queen's own servants.

"We are nearly finished." added Var, passing a pin to Lofn. "Snotra, one more- yes, thank you. My lady, how does it look?"

If she were to be perfectly honest, she would probably break these sweet girls' hearts. While it was clearly well - crafted and intricate, the twists and tumbles of curls made her feel like a lapdog, not a princess. The few months she'd been away to Vanaheim had made her forget how much she hated this kind of hair. "It is lovely; thank you, ladies, for assisting me." she smiled, sounding for all the realms like she meant it thanks to a life spent in royal courts and years spent with one of the best liars she had met.

"Thank _you_, Princess Sigyn," said Lofn with a curtsy. "The banquet should begin shortly; his majesty the Allfather requested that you enter with Prince Thor, who should be arriving any moment now."

"I appreciate the information." she nodded. "You are free to go." _Thor?_ It did make sense, logically. As the Princess of Vanaheim she deserved the arm of a prince, and seeing as her husband was unavailable, that left Thor. But she still did not relish the idea of being escorted by anyone but her Loki. At least Thor was her friend; well, she hoped he would be, after all of that business that had happened with his brother. _Maybe he can tell me more_.

Her brother-in-law was usually late, so she was surprised to see him outside in the hall when she opened her door. "Thor." she nodded, giving a small curtsy. "You are here to escort me to the banquet?"

"Yes, of course." he smiled, though she noticed it wasn't quite as beaming as usual. He offered her his arm as they began to walk down the hall. "How was your time in Vanaheim?"

"Unremarkable." she shrugged. "I may have missed home itself sometimes, but I never missed being constantly around my father."

"I can understand that." Thor said with a chuckle. "Asgard should be more pleasant, at least in that regard. Are you looking forward to the banquet? You look rather lovely."

"Yes, thank you." Sigyn waved off his compliment with her hand. While she did, of course, appreciate it, she had heard those words or some equally bland variation so many times that they meant little anymore. _Loki was never bland._ "Not overly, I must admit; I simply cannot imagine any court function being enjoyable without my Loki by my side."

It was almost funny how quickly his face darkened. "So you still…support him? Even after all that he has done?" Thor's voice was low and serious, thick with emotion.

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Yes. I do. To be fair, no one has told me exactly what happened and, well, I know he did not do it of his own volition."

"Sigyn, I know you went to talk to him, he is likely using your love to manipulate you-"

"Thor, no. How long have we been married? Do you really think I would allow him to trick me?" She bit her lip and swallowed, her voice becoming softer now. "Besides. He would never lie about something that would put me and our - _me_ in such danger. I will tell you what he said after this thing is over; just trust me with this."

"I do not know if I can." he muttered.

"Well, you have to. You are one of the only people who might have the slightest chance of being willing to help me, and him."

"I do not know if he deserves help. You did not see what he did on Midgard; I did."

"Then tell me." she murmured, her deep blue eyes catching his lighter ones. "Tell me what makes you distrust him so."

"He murdered innocent Midgardians. His Chitauri soldiers killed hundreds more. He tried to take the Tesseract - the _Tesseract _- for his own gain. And then he stabbed me and betrayed me. That is why I do not trust him, Sigyn."

Those were all very valid reasons; if she didn't know about Thanos, she'd be ready to beat him up herself. "And I would agree, if I did not know that he suffered. I do not know how and I do not know if I want to ask, but he was forced into those things." She scrunched her face up into an expression of distaste as they reached the entrance to the great hall. "Much like I am being forced into this. We will speak later?" Her tone didn't leave much room for disagreement.

"If you wish it." Thor sighed; he knew better than to argue with her. He gestured to the gilded doors in front of them and raised his golden brows. "Are you ready to eat, drink and make merry?"

"You know it." she said wryly, tightening her grip on his arm as she exhaled. _Relax. Just relax._ She was a princess; they would respect her and leave her be. Her father wasn't here giving them permission to be intrusive, so the nobles of the court would give her space. She could enjoy herself with Thor. She could. And if she didn't at least try, she was sure to have a dismal evening. "Okay. We can go in now." The guards pushed the doors open and Sigyn walked through, moving with a grace that looked more effortless than it was.

As soon as they entered, those seated at the scattered tables rose - even the King and Queen themselves, in honor of their guest.

"We welcome Prince Thor Odinson of Asgard." the herald called out. "He escorts the esteemed guest of both the Asgardian court and the Allfather King Odin: Princess Sigyn Iwaldisdottr of Vanaheim."

_No, no, absolutely not._ Her face remained frozen in its smile, revealing nothing of the anger coiling in her stomach. She was _Odins_dottr and princess of Asgard as well; it was like she had never been married to Loki. _Or like they chose to forget him, wipe away our love without so much as asking me._ But maybe it was an honest mistake. Maybe they were going off of her father's words and simply didn't know any better.

_Just give them a second chance. For Loki's sake._ She would overlook that slight for now, play nice to keep things from getting any worse for her husband, but if anything like that happened again…

"Are you going to kill someone?" Thor muttered as they walked to their table, which sat on a raised dais in the center of the room.

"Not yet." she said, barely moving her lips from the seemingly-genuine smile she was quite proud of. That smile flickered for a moment, almost becoming real, when she saw Queen Frigga.

"Sigyn, dear, how we have missed you here." her fellow Vanir smiled, skipping formalities and wrapping the princess in a motherly hug.

"I have missed being here as well." she sighed, letting herself relax a little. There was a reason Frigga was the most beloved woman in Asgard; her warmth and compassion never failed to bring comfort to those around her.

"Welcome, princess."

Odin's gruff voice drew her out of her embrace and into a more stately curtsy. "My king." she murmured, eyes downcast. If there was one person to blame for Loki's imprisonment it was him, yet she couldn't do that. While there were some parts of who Odin was that she didn't much care for, as a whole he was a good man and a better ruler. Blame for what had happened to her husband did not have an easy home. _Thanos. Blame _ would be the one to pay.

"Take a seat." the Allfather said as he waved his hand at Thor, who promptly pulled out a chair for her.

The first part of the banquet passed in a blur. She caught Frigga up on the news of Vanaheim, discussed fighting tactics with Thor and ate Aesir-sized portions of the many dishes set out before her. Sigyn noticed that her family-by-marriage avoided the topic of her husband, which was both frustrating and appreciated.

When the servants began bringing out desserts she sighed and repressed the urge to roll her eyes. Now was the part of the banquet she dreaded most: the time for people to mingle between tables and talk to one another, which surely meant a swarm coming for her.

"My _lady_, I am so honored to meet you again." spoke a man in smooth tones as he bowed deeply.

"Lord Brandt." she nodded. "I am honored as well."

"And you do remember my son, do you not?" He pulled forward a young man who looked like he set young girls' hearts aflame. "Audun has done nothing but speak of your fair form; he and I both would take it as a great compliment if you would accept his offer to dine with him."

"I -" She stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the people waiting in line to greet her. All of those in the front had one thing in common: a mother or father escorting a son. Her face hardened. Really? This was her first day back in Asgard, her husband was within walking distance and these people thought it was alright to _court_ her? She stood.

"Sigyn, what are you…" Thor's whispered words faded into the background.

"People of Asgard." she called out. Her voice was clear and strong, but the undercurrent of rage was apparent. "You all know that I am Vanaheim's princess. But I am more than that - I am _your_ princess still. And I am _not_ a widow, or a maiden, or any sort of 'eligible young woman'; the fact that my husband is in prison does not make me any less married. So please, for the love of the Norns, do _not_ try to shove your sons on me. I am not interested."

Sigyn sat back down though the fire still smoldered within her. Hopefully her words would be the end of it.

"My lady, I beg your pardon if I speak too boldly." said Lord Brandt cautiously, a look of concern on his face. "But you are too good for that, ah, 'man'. You deserve far better." he finished to mutters of agreement from those around him.

She rested the side of her head on her fingertips as she closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, reminding herself that setting this man on fire wouldn't help anyone. "You do not know him. None of you do." Each word was carefully controlled.

"But Princess Sigyn-"

"I love Loki and I carry his child within me." she snarled. "Is that not enough for you people?" She rose abruptly, grabbing Thor's arm as she did so. "We are leaving." Thor didn't fight her grasp as she stalked out of the hall, striding through the crowd like a tiger through a herd of deer.

"Those _people_ are disgusting." Sigyn fumed once they were outside. "Treating _me_ like I have no will of my own, treating _our love_ like it does not exist, if I could I would-" she cut herself off when she noticed the look on Thor's face and when it dawned on her she felt a wave of embarrassment and shame rush through her body. "Oh. Now I am as bad as they think he was."

"He _was_ that bad." her brother-by-marriage said gently, squeezing her arm. "You are just angry."

"No to both of those." she growled, though her words were less ferocious than they had been just moments before. "I am furious, not angry, and Loki is not the monster everyone believes him to be - actually, that is what I need to speak with you about." _Calm, calm._ Thor was not to blame here; he had always respected her, and she knew that he and Loki loved one another despite the way they frequently acted. "Do you know of Thanos?"

"I am not small-minded, Sigyn; everyone knows of Thanos. Why? Is he involved in this?"

"Yes." While she was no longer spitting fire, a colder anger had taken the place of her fury. "He twisted my love into attacking Midgard and now that monster has to pay for his crimes so that Loki may be free."

"Loki is not one to be easily bent." Thor pointed out. "Could he be lying?"

She shook her head. "No. He would not send me - he would not send _our unborn child _- chasing after a creature so dangerous as the Mad Titan if he were lying. And the pain in his voice, well, you cannot fake that kind of despair, Thor."

The warrior took a moment to think over what she had said. "He did seem….off in New York, but that does not mean he was entirely blameless for the attack."

"Entirely blameless, no, perhaps not, but we will not know if we do not find Thanos." He was starting to come around; good. She'd thought she might have to bring out the weepy wife routine, but it seemed her logic was enough for him.

"And once we find him - what then?"

"We overpower him and bring him back to Asgard to face justice."

"The two of us?"

"And a few others, if they will assist us. I do have somewhat of a plan, Thor; walk with me and I will tell you what I have in mind."


	3. As Things Should Be

**Apologies for the long update gap! This chapter has some action, a much-needed reunion, sass, arguments, and setup for a few important characters; hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave reviews!**

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"I still do not see why _he_ needs to be with us," Thor muttered as they walked through the halls.

Sigyn sighed and rolled her eyes. "I told you last night, Thor; he knows Thanos better than any of us, and as far as pure power goes, we could use his strength. The Mad Titan is no easy foe."

"And you love him, and don't want to see him in a cell."

"True," she shrugged.

"But breaking into a prison, Sigyn? Are you completely sure about this?" His brotherly concern would've been sweet at any other time, but now it was just bothersome.

"First of all, we will not be _breaking_ into anything, we will have a key," she explained, exasperation overtaking her voice. "Secondly, you already agreed to help me with this and I will not let you back out now. Now shh, be quiet, we are almost here; the einherjar can still hear you even if you are invisible."

Thor, to his credit, remained silent despite her terseness as he walked along side her, invisible to all but her eyes. She held herself tall and proud as she approached the main prison door and the several guards stationed outside of it. "I will see my husband."

Two men at the front traded wary looks. One stepped forward cautiously. "My lady, perhaps you should return to your quarters…"

These men were fearless when it came to battle, but a determined noblewoman- a princess, no less- was clearly a different story. She would hardly have to try to get her way with them. "Perhaps you should step aside," she said coolly.

"Princess Sigyn, you should not-"

"Have I been completely banned from the prison or will you step aside when your princess commands it?"

Tight-mouthed, they moved away from the door, leaving just enough room for Thor to follow behind her. She had won no friends here, but if that was the only price she had to pay, then today would be a good day. Her eyes darted around the prison while they moved through the cells. As she realized just how many guards, and inmates, were present, she felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. _Maybe this was not the best idea after all…_ But it would have to work; it was too late now to come up with anything else.

Loki's cell was one of the first ones, so they didn't have to walk for long. When he saw her approaching, he rose. "Sigyn, I-" she saw his eyes slide to where Thor stood next to; she hadn't expected her simple illusion to fool him. "Why is _he_-"

She didn't hear him finish. She had to do this now, and she had to do this quick. Closing her eyes, Sigyn stretched out her mind until she felt every being in the prison. _There are so many…but not_ too _many._ With a murmured spell and a quick flick of energy to every mind, she was finished.

"Damn," she winced, putting a hand on Thor, who was now completely visible, to steady herself. "It must be the baby; I should not be _this_ drained."

"Darling, are you-" Loki paused as he looked around, his concern changing to a half-smile amazement. "You did this all in a moment?"

"They are not dead," she said with eyebrow raised. "Just sleeping. But yes, I did."

"Does this mean that you are here to free me?"

"What do you think, you dolt?" she teased with a smile. Just a few more moments and they would be properly together again for the first time in months. "Thor, did you get the keys?"

He rose from the body of a sleeping guard with an iron keyring in his hand and took a step towards the cell. "Are you sure?" he asked, one more time.

"Yes."

With a sigh, Thor unlocked Loki's cell, bringing down the barrier of energy that had held him inside.

In that moment, Sigyn felt her weariness fade away; how could she focus on being tired when her love, her husband was moving towards her as she moved towards him, when their bodies were colliding and their arms were wrapping, when things were as they had been and as they should be?

"Oh Sigyn," he murmured as he buried his face in her hair.

She pressed her face into his chest, relaxing parts of her body that she didn't know were even tense. This felt so right to be standing here with him, to hold and be held. She wanted nothing more than to stay like this, but they couldn't. "We have to go, love," she whispered as she pulled back slightly, her face a breath away from his. "Once we are safe…once we are safe we can finish this."

"We could get started now." There was a hint of a growl in Loki's voice as he brushed the hair away from her face.

Sigyn grinned, baring her teeth in an almost feral way. "Do you think either of us could stop if we did?"

He sighed and pulled away, though he left his arm wrapped around her side. "My love, I wish you were wrong more often."

"Then who between us would ever be right?" She sighed, pushing her smile into the background. When she turned to look at Thor, though, she had to fight to keep that smile from returning. The warrior stood with his arms crossed, one hand tightly gripping Mjolnir as he stared straight ahead and tried to ignore them. "Thor, are you alright?" He usually wasn't this bothered by their affection, but then again, Loki usually wasn't newly free from prison.

"Do not worry about him, love, he is just pining for his Midgardian pet," Loki sneered.

The anger was immediate on Thor's face. "You _dare_ to speak of my Lady Jane in that-"

"Oh come _on_," she interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Can you at least wait until we are out of the prison before you start bickering like children? I know you are brothers, and I know you have to keep up the illusion that you hate each other, but it can wait."

"But Sigyn he-"

"Sigyn, darling-"

"It. Can. Wait." she said firmly, giving each of them a pointed look. She loved Thor like a brother and of course cared for Loki, but sometimes they really did act like children and she was left in the role of the scolding mother. Shaking her head, she added, "Just come on, we need to get out of here."

A door opened and slammed shut, then everything became slow. Two guards entered the prison, took a few steps forward as if to speak with the trio, and paused with shocked faces as they took in Loki's freedom and everyone else's unconsciousness. Without a second to spare they turned to leave and, presumably, sound the alarm.

She only had an instant to react. Summoning a ball of energy to her hand she took a few precious moments to aim (lest she seriously hurt someone) before letting the energy loose towards the guards. One fell, struck on the back, but the other slipped out before she had a chance to do anything else.

"What were you all _doing_?" Sigyn whirled on Loki and Thor, who stood dumbstruck and frozen. "You couldn't have helped me? Now everyone will know what we are doing." Her frustration slipped away, though, as she felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over her body. Loki reached out to steady her, but she batted his hand away weakly, still not forgiving him entirely. "I do not know why you just stood there." A slight groan as the weariness became more present, less easily ignored.

"You are tired, love; you need to rest," he murmured, his worry-filled eyes flicking down to her belly.

Her mouth was set in a determined line. She would not let the frailness of her body, or the apparent idiocy of the Odinsons, ruin this; she _would_ protect her husband, and she _would _protect their baby. To admit defeat now would put them both in danger. "I do not have time to rest, not now," she said in a carefully controlled voice. If Loki saw just how fatigued she really was, he'd go right back in his cell and refuse to leave, lest she hurt herself trying to escape. It was that kind of devotion that made her love him. "We need to leave."

An alarm finished her sentence. "They will flood the prison with guards," Thor told them as he looked around. "We might be able to fight our way out."

"Loki?" She looked at him with her eyebrow raised. Her body was trembling slightly, but at least she could still stand without issue. _For now._ The combination of a baby and far-reaching magic did not seem to be working out for her. "What do you think? I do not know how much I will be able to help."

The look of uncertainty on his face was disquieting, and his stumbling words even more so. "I, ah, the cell was leeching my power-"

"Really? We are about to be attacked and you lie to us? Poorly?" Sigyn said sharply, shaking her head; all three of them knew his words weren't true. _Loki, my Loki, always so full of secrets._ She would find out what he was trying so hard to hide, but now was just not the time. "I have had enough. We are getting out of here, and we are getting out of here now."

A tight grasp, a muttered spell, and a push of power later, they were standing in a damp cave. This time, she couldn't stop herself from collapsing. Her knees buckled without warning and it was only Loki's quick reflexes that prevented her from hitting the ground.

"Sigyn, my love," he murmured as he cradled her body and helped her rise. One arm was around her shoulders, the other rested protectively on her stomach. "What have you done?"

"I took us to the portal," she groaned, leaning on him heavily. The teleportation had left her with just enough energy to stay conscious; even now, just a few moments later, she recognized how foolhardy her decision had been- but what other choice did she have? Stand there and watch Thor and Loki do nothing? Her breathing was labored and she felt faint, but she didn't think she would pass out just yet. "Can you get us to Midgard? To Thor's allies?"

Loki balked at that. "Are you sure- alright, love; we do need to get you somewhere safe. Thor, hold her for a moment." She allowed herself to be passed into Thor's strong arms as her husband approached the swirling pit. As she understood it, he didn't have to put any energy into this particular portal for them to reach their chosen destination (one of the main reasons she chose it, since she thought he might be depleted after their escape); he just had to bend the magic already present. _One day I will get him to teach me how to do this on my own. _She clung to Thor, not quite trusting her legs to hold her up. If ever there was a time for her to faint it would be now, but she refused.

A few seconds later, Loki stepped back and nodded. "It is done. All we have to do is jump."

"It will be okay, Thor," she said gently, noticing the hesitant look on his face. "The portal will take us to your allies, and we can figure out our next step there."

"Assuming they do not attack my brother on sight."

Those were the last words she heard before falling through a swirl of rainbow colors and landing in a room at the top of a tower.

* * *

**You probably guessed it, but yes, they are in the Avengers Tower which begs the question: which Avengers do you all want to see? They will all be present, but if you have any preference as to who is more involved in the plotline, let me know! I can't guarantee that I'll be able to work them in, but I will ****_definitely_**** take your thoughts into consideration.**

**And, as always, let me know what you thought of the chapter; positive, negative, or some of both is always appreciated :)**


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